Understanding
by doctorkaitlyn
Summary: The Doctor just wishes he could understand Rory Williams.


**Author's Note: **So it's been awhile since I've written some Eleven/Rory but after watching the Christmas special, I decided to go back through my word files and try to get some more inspiration. I found a rough paragraph I'd written and it turned into this tiny bit of fluff. I hope you enjoy it and I'm hoping that in the next few weeks, I'll be starting a full-length Rory/Eleven story. xo.

**Understanding.**

The Doctor doesn't think that he'll ever truly understand Rory Williams. He thought that he had him down to a science, thought he knew what made Rory happy, what areas were sensitive topics (Leadworth, childhood, his dad, death), what made him melt into a puddle of lust and _wantneedmorepleasenow._

Apparently not. Apparently, after the months he has spent studying Rory in between their intergalactic adventures, he's missed something, something crucial, something absolutely essential. He has absolutely no idea what it could be but all he knows is that Rory is sitting on the edge of their bed, his hands gripping the frame, head hanging down and he's telling the Doctor in this low voice that he wants to leave.

"You... you want to leave the TARDIS?" he asks, sitting up, not sure whether he should touch Rory or not. That's one thing he still hasn't managed to figure out, to completely define; humans are rather picky about when they want to be touched. He decides it's probably safer to just stay where he is, to wait for another sign before he makes contact. "Well, we can go somewhere, anywhere you want. How about Venice? Oh, wait, already tried that. Rome? A planet where everything tastes like chocolate?"

"No, Doctor." He's never heard Rory speak like this, voice quiet and deep and _defeated_, if he had to describe it in one word. "I want to leave. To go home."

"Oh." It's such a useless word, _oh_, but the Doctor really doesn't know what else to say. There _isn't _anything else to say. He feels like he's been blindsided, tackled by one of those rugby players Rory is so fond of. There'd been absolutely no sign of this coming; up until eight hours ago, when he'd collapsed on the bed and fallen asleep, Rory had seemed happy. Even after they'd nearly been dropped into a pit of acid by a group of aliens with a fondness for human sacrifices, he had only complained a little bit, not really putting any heart into it. There'd been no reason to suspect that Rory was unhappy.

"Why?" This time, he moves down the bed, settling just behind Rory. "Are you unhappy?" This time, Rory turns his head and the Doctor can see tears gleaming in the corner of his eye. One falls and he catches it on his fingertip before it hits Rory's bare shoulder. He can't help but stare at it for a few moments, a perfect globe of salt water, glistening on his skin.

It amazes him how even Rory's tears are perfect.

"No... not unhappy," he whispers, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows heavily. A small chuckle escapes his lips immediately afterwards and he shakes his head, his brown hair falling softly onto his forehead. There are so many things the Doctor wants to say but for once in his life, he manages to keep his mouth shut, to hear someone else out.

"It's more like... I want to get out while I'm ahead," Rory finally says, swallowing again. "I want to leave while it's still... well, not fun, but whatever. I don't want to end up clinging to something that isn't there anymore."

"Rory..." The Doctor finally leans forward and wraps one arm around Rory's waist, pulling him back against his chest. His lips ghost over his shoulder, soothing a scar that has appeared as a result of their travels. He knows what Rory really means; it's something he's heard before, in different words, from different companions. He's afraid, afraid that the Doctor is going to leave him behind one day, abandon him with a promise they both know he won't keep. The Doctor is the first to admit that he's done this before, just dropped humans without a true word of explanation but Rory... Rory's different. He loves Rory, pure and simple, loves him even more than he had loved Rose Tyler. He's loved him from the very first time they traveled together, that's all there is to it.

"Rory, you wonderful boy," he murmurs against Rory's skin, sighing heavily. "I wish you would just believe me when I say I love you. As long as it is in my control, I will _never_ abandon you." He kisses the side of Rory's neck, the skin damp with fallen tears.

"Please Rory, stay with me." Rory says nothing but the Doctor doesn't stop whispering _please don't leave me_ _I love you so much_ against his body, holding him tighter than he's ever held anything. In his arms, Rory becomes more pliant, more soft until he finally just sags against the Doctor's body like an empty sack, the tears flowing freely and silently down his cheeks. The Doctor falls backwards, manoeuvring into a more comfortable position, so that they can be face to face.

"I'm sorry," Rory murmurs, his hands tight on the Doctor's hip. "I don't want to leave, I want to stay as long as you'll have me." The Doctor smiles and wriggles closer, rustling the sheets underneath his body.

"Rory Williams, I want you to be with me as long as you live," he says, brushing stray strands of soft hair off of Rory's face. "Please, believe me." For a moment, their gazes lock and the Doctor feels like he can, for the first time, know with certainty what Rory Williams is thinking about. He's thinking about all the practical aspects of the Doctor's promise, thinking about what will happen when he's an old man and the Doctor still looks the same, still looks like a youthful mad scientist. He's thinking about what it would be like to die on the TARDIS, billions of miles away from his home planet and thinking about what it will be like to watch as the Doctor is forced to bring another companion onboard when he becomes too old and weak to be of any use.

And then, his as his eyes sparkle, the Doctor realizes that Rory _wants _all of these things. He _wants _the Doctor as long as he can have him. Grin stretching his lips, the Doctor leans forward and pulls Rory into a fantastic kiss, hand sliding through his hair with no resistance whatsoever. When he leans away to catch his breath, he's still smiling because for the first time, the Doctor feels like he's found someone he can understand completely, someone who just _makes sense _to him.

He realizes that he _does_ understand Rory Williams and he never wants to understand anyone else.


End file.
